Nikki Haley was asked by a voter what was the cause of the Civil War. It did not go well.

[Swede]

Stunning moment: At a town hall in Berlin, N.H., Nikki Haley was asked by a voter what was the cause of the Civil War. She said the war was about government interfering in people’s freedoms. The voter then called her out for not mentioning slavery.

Link to tweet

[MOMFUDSKI]

1. What a doof. Add to that the SC decision to

make her a second-class citizen by taking her own freedom away and I want to know when she intends to start the next Civil War. Jeez

[tanyev]

2. Yeah, government interference with (certain) people's freedom to own slaves.

That seems to be the GOP perspective, anyway.

She’s got to know she wouldn’t have fared very well in the southern states in the 1860s.

[PJMcK]

63. She's got to know she wouldn't have fared very well in the southern states in the...

... 1960s.

In fact, I think she'll only gain real traction if Trump is sidelined. In that event, she's the also-ran alternative. If she loses, which I would expect and hope for, it'll be the end of her career in elective politics.

[appalachiablue]

79. ++ a wreck and rw tool, 'freedom' is the overused response

cliche of the far rt. Economic freedom from taxes, deregulation and privatization of public services in order to profit and exploit. Sickening.

[Ocelot II]

3. Yeah, government interference in states' rights to let their people own other people.

You suck, Nikki.

[JenniferJuniper]

4. The freedom to own other people.

She seems nice.

[msongs]

5. no sound clip? would make a good ad then nt

[IcyPeas]

25. Yes there is. See my post #24

[madaboutharry]

6. Let's see....

The Confederate government in the South was interfering in people’s freedoms, the freedom of all the African slaves kidnapped from Africa. But I suppose bringing that up would have required her to annoy the base. ☹️

Nikki Haley is full of shit. I am beginning to think she actually believes in nothing.

[Emile]

7. and she says she will pardon Trump.

God forbid she ever gets close to the White House.

[CurtEastPoint]

8. how on EARTH did this ignotwit get elected to any office, much less GOVERNOR? I know, it's SC but still...

[IbogaProject]

22. It's often a personality contest

And many times the more seemingly affable one wins. And the GOP playbook is all slogans and dog whistles, and it's easier when they aren't the incumbent so they can claim that they will fix it all. Then they get in and do all the dimwit things that slow the economy. Everyone spends for food, shelter and other staples, once you get past hand to mouth you start to spend ever slower. Adam Smith & John Stewart Mill both wanted shackles on the big banks and corporations. And the clearly said the free market can only work with a steeply progressive tax rate.

[ExWhoDoesntCare]

48. She's not totally stupid

Mostly, but not totally. She knows what the cause of the Civil War is, but she also knows how her potential voters hate how the results of it meant they couldn't own brown people anymore. So she tried to thread a needle that she isn't smart enough to figure out.

[Martin68]

60. Because she blows all the MAGAt dog whistles to keep some credibility within that community, while pretending

to be moderate and reasonable for the wider audience. She’s very good at that.

[not fooled]

68. Yes

I think she's very smart, in a cynical, sociopathic, calculating way. She is just trying to soft-peddle and put a smiley face on atrocious beliefs and policies. She's trying to con "moderate" and "independent" voters into thinking she's reasonable, when in fact her actions show she's MAGA hard-right.

The problem as I see it is that the corporate media are so desperate for a "reasonable republican" and alternate to criminal red don that they are letting her spout her gobbledygook without enough pushback or hard questioning.

I sure hope most voters don't buy her act. The person who asked the question about slavery had the right idea--get her to reveal her true character.

[Martin68]

82. The Post constantly reminds of Haley's contradictory or ambiguous stances. They headlined her failure to slavery fail.

[dalton99a]

9. A birdbrain's view

[Kennah]

10. It is a view that's held in The Confederate South

[TomSlick]

17. I have been unable to convince my MiL that the civil war was about slavery.

She was taught in Arkansas public schools that the cause of the civil war was northern plans to usurp the authority of the southern states and northern aggression at Ft. Sumter. I have shown her the secession resolution adopted in Arkansas that makes it clear that slavery was the issue - still, that isn't what she was taught.

Then again, she is 87.

[Kennah]

27. My late father went to school in rural VA

The Lost Cause mythology was gospel to him

[Martin68]

83. I was brainwashed as a 4th grader in a Virginia rural school when we studied "Virginia History" in 1962.

[ShazzieB]

30. Nikki was probably tauyht the same thing growing up in SC.

I went through the 6th grade in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and I didn't even know what the Civil War was, because my social studies book called it the "War Between the States." Some key battles were fought right there in my hometown, but God forbid we kids should ever learn the war's actual name!

[Wonder Why]

54. You mean "the War of Northern Aggression". That's what some of my associates called it.

[ShazzieB]

78. I've heard of that, but never heard it called that when I was growing up.

It was always the War Between the States. Because evidently somebody decided that sounded better than Civil War, for some reason.

[Wonder Why]

90. Do a web search on the term. I just did but posted that before I did so because I heard it from people.

[keithbvadu2]

39. Reply::: Thank God you republicans won that war back in the 1860s.

[ExWhoDoesntCare]

49. Now you know why the traitor thugs

Are trying to remove reality from libraries and teaching materials. Because if they can fill kid's heads with white trash lies, then you have them believing those lies for life.

[DallasNE]

62. What Your MIL Was Taught

Set in motion the idea of critical race theory that has now been banned in much of the South, assuring more generations of uninformed citizens. The disinfectant of truth is the first step in healing but when division is the calling card it is not going to happen.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

66. Northern aggression at Ft. Sumter?

Uhhh, it was the South Carolina militia that fired on the Union troops at the fort.

[Haggard Celine]

74. You're fake news.

[uponit7771]

89. Lincoln "made" the Feds do it !! / sarc.

[Emile]

47. Crazy how propaganda can rewrite history.

[Attilatheblond]

69. Yep. "The War of Northern Aggression" is what many still call it. They say it was about 'state's rights'

Mostly the 'right' to own other human beings and treat them however they wanted.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

91. You mean it wasn't about tariffs?

That's what the "lost cause" tries to teach.

[Major Nikon]

71. It's neo-confederate bullshit

After the Civil War literally nobody disputed it was about slavery for around 100 years. It was only during the Civil Rights Era that neo-confederates started floating bullshit that it was actually about "states' rights" even though there's exactly zero historical support. Since then "states' rights" has been a dog whistle to racists.

Every single Confederate states' article of secession literally says it was about slavery. Most of them also list the grievance with the federal government for refusal to nullify the Northern states' right to free runaway slaves. In other words the causes are exactly the opposite of the bullshit the neo-confederates claim. The South was decidedly against states' rights.

[Mad_Machine76]

76. I don't think that will play well

to a national audience, fortunately.

[DemocraticPatriot]

11. Today's Republicans are only against government interfering

in their "freedom" to interfere with other people's freedoms....


same as the Confederate slave-holders....


So from a MAGA-Republican perspective, her answer was quite correct....

[Cheezoholic]

12. There are places in the south that referring to it as the civil war is frowned upon very much

It is to be referred to as "The War of Northern Aggression". Now I'm not defending that, just stating fact.

[Deuxcents]

26. I've heard "war between the states " many times

[ShazzieB]

33. That's what it was called in Tennesee, where we lived till I was 12.

Including in our social studies textbooks! I had heard of a war called the Civil War, but I didn't know it was the same one as the War Between the States.

[Deuxcents]

34. Ya learn something every day here!

I just got a lesson on requirements for House of Representatives on another thread tonight about Boebert changing districts in Colorado to keep her job.

[ProudMNDemocrat]

52. While at the Alamo on March 6, 2018....

During the Anniversary of the final siege at the Alamo, a dressed Male re-enactor said the Civil War was the "war of Northern aggression". I had a discussion with him about that comment and mentioned that the South fought to preserve the inhumane institution of owning other human beings from Africa, also known as slavery. I mentioned also that those
states that succeeded from the Union were TRAITORS. He was not very happy with me about that and noticed my non-Southern accent.

He then asked me if I was an authority on the subject. I replied that I Minored in American History in College and that I remained a student of History ever since. When I mentioned Gettysburg, Richmond, Charlottesville, Petersburg, and other Civil War battlefields I had been to, and the failure of Pickett's charge, he shut up. People around me gave me weird looks that I knew more about our History than they did.

Needless to say, I am not a fan of revisionist history.

[markodochartaigh]

80. The taking of Texas from

México was the most successful in a series of attempts by US proponents of slavery to turn Latin American non-slave territories into US slave states. I think that the whole filibuster movement is poorly taught in US schools.

[The Magistrate]

32. War of Southern Treason, Sir

Is the correct usage.


"I will fight the secesh till Hell freezes over, then fight on the ice."

[keithbvadu2]

40. Reply::: The War of Republican Aggression.

[AllaN01Bear]

13. snork.

[Renew Deal]

14. She meant people's freedom to keep slaves

Duh

[PatSeg]

15. What a horrible answer

Surely she can do better than that. She should have anticipated such a question. She is usually better at answers that sound good, but don't actually say anything. This one said a whole lot about her character.

[dchill]

20. "Surely she can do better than that."

Why would you think that? I think that's the best she can do. 🤐

[PatSeg]

29. I've seen her give fairly polished answers

Though she often doesn't say anything. It is just enough to appease the base and some moderate republicans at the same time. She is often good at political spin.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

16. Confederate state governments were interfering in African-American people's freedoms

By condoning slavery.

But that's not what Haley meant.

[sop]

18. I remember when unreconstructed Neo-Confederates liked to say it was for "economic reasons."

They gave up that BS after people kept pointing out "economic reasons" was just a nice way of saying "our agrarian economy would go bust if they took away our free slave labor."

[LiberalFighter]

19. I hope it was a white person calling her out.

She wouldn't be able to say a black person was planted to humiliate her.

[Kablooie]

21. Well it was.

Freedom for white people to keep African Americans as slaves.

[marble falls]

23. So basically, the Federal government was interferring with the rights of southern citizens to interfere with the ...

... rights of the southern black population.

Just think about that for a second, Haley.

[IcyPeas]

24. HERE'S VIDEO (from CNN)

Link to tweet

[ShazzieB]

36. "What do you want me to say about slavery?" *bats eyelashes innocently*

Good God. Is that really the best you can do, Nikki?

If by some bizarre fluke she did get the GOP nomination, Biden would mop the floor with her in every debate.

[appmanga]

38. I don't know...

...what that pundit is smoking, but that's a first class gaffe that's not going to quietly away.

[PTL_Mancuso]

51. Let's HOPE so!

I don't mean to be mean but Nikki is a double-talking knucklehead.

[appmanga]

53. Don't apologize...

...for being right.

[raising2moredems]

28. She really sucks..

tries to sit on the fence then gets called out. Just like her "abortion" stance. She think no one remembers or can verify she signed every anti-women piece of legislature that landed on her desk?

[spanone]

31. She's either ignorant or she doesn't want to offend her racist base

She's disgusting

[Emile]

35. She is sucking up to the Trump voters.

She is wanting their votes when he goes to jail. Been telling them she'll even pardon him if they will put her in office.

[TwilightZone]

41. It's intentional ignorance.

Running for president as a Republican pretty much requires candidates to act as though they've had a traumatic brain injury.

Ben Carson is a perfect example of this. He went from renowned surgeon to someone who could barely tie his own shoes.

[C_U_L8R]

37. It was no accident.

This is who she is. Simply awful.

[keithbvadu2]

42. States' Rights... The right to conduct the slave trade.

Every state in the Confederacy issued an “Article of Secession” declaring their break from the Union. Four states went further. Texas, Mississippi, Georgia and South Carolina all issued additional documents, usually referred to as the “Declarations of Causes," which explain their decision to leave the Union.

[sop]

50. "States Rights" was the original euphemism for the right to own slaves.

[Attilatheblond]

72. And it's currently being employed to justify the creeping effort to own women.

The GOP loves them some slippery slopes

[Captain Zero]

87. Every Confederate Constitution included slavery

Slavery was mentioned on the first page of every constitution of every southern state.

So it was about slavery.

[oasis]

43. Go home already.

Nikki not prepared for the battles ahead.

[Tactical Peek]

44. "Our position is thoroughly identified with the institution of slavery" - Declaration of Secession

A Declaration of the Immediate Causes which Induce and Justify the Secession of the State of Mississippi from the Federal Union.


In the momentous step which our State has taken of dissolving its connection with the government of which we so long formed a part, it is but just that we should declare the prominent reasons which have induced our course.

Our position is thoroughly identified with the institution of slavery-- the greatest material interest of the world. Its labor supplies the product which constitutes by far the largest and most important portions of commerce of the earth. These products are peculiar to the climate verging on the tropical regions, and by an imperious law of nature, none but the black race can bear exposure to the tropical sun. These products have become necessities of the world, and a blow at slavery is a blow at commerce and civilization. That blow has been long aimed at the institution, and was at the point of reaching its consummation. There was no choice left us but submission to the mandates of abolition, or a dissolution of the Union, whose principles had been subverted to work out our ruin.

That we do not overstate the dangers to our institution, a reference to a few facts will sufficiently prove.

more...
https://avalon.law.yale.edu/19th_century/csa_missec.asp


It is creepy that Haley will not say this.

[The Magistrate]

46. They Were Honest, Sir, I'll Give Them That

[moondust]

45. Lifelong South Carolinian,

perhaps she was raised on revisionist Confederate propaganda? And perhaps later found out she would have to parrot that junk if she wanted to get anywhere in the old Confederacy? Another deranged GQPer.

[JustAnotherGen]

55. She's disqualified

And don't tell me that the Republicans will not inflict pain on the others should they get into power in the White House and Senate.

[Jimvanhise]

56. OOPS, IT WAS SOMEBODY ELSE'S FAULT

Now she's claiming she was set up even though the person who asked the question pressed her several times to name slavery as the cause. Today she is giving the right answer without explaining why she tripped over that answer the night before.

[Obvious85]

57. 'Gov't interfering in peoples freedom to have slaves'

is what she really said.

[StocktonNative]

58. Nikki is a Southern Revisionist

and very much part of the Klanned Karenhood. She's a true Daughter of the Confederacy.

[Martin68]

59. Anyone who thinks Haley is a "moderate" in any sense of the word is deeply misinformed. This example of

right wing re-writing of American history according to their narrative that slavery “wasn’t so bad,” and had nothing to do with the Civil War is just the tip of a MAGAt-filled iceberg.

[Evolve Dammit]

61. What a spineless, revisionist history cult. Disgusting, deplorable and all lies, all the time. n/t

[musclecar6]

64. Not surprising

I’ve often said how any person of color could vote for a Republican is beyond me. Clarence Thomas with so many of his rulings as we know, has always befuddled me. What in the fuck is this guy thinking. Has he ever looked in the mirror to see the color of his skin. That’s obviously just making it somewhat humorous as obviously he knows he’s a black person and doesn’t he realize that everyone of his billionaire buddies flying him around in their corporate jets really think of him as dirt under their feet and he should be shining their shoes and nothing more , sheesh.

To go one further, how many woman could either vote for or be a Republican candidate for office is also beyond me. Out in the world in corporate America women have had to fight tooth and nail for everything that they’ve accomplished to get ahead and only over time has it started to ease up for them. The Republican good old boy network wants them in the kitchen, cleaning the kitchen, cooking meals for them etc.and that’s it and of course not to get any uppity ideas. Again sheesh.

[Johnny2X2X]

65. Not surprised

There are millions of Americans who are convinced the Civil War had nothing to do with slavery. It’s rampant and you can see this reflected all over the web now. It’s a RW teaching and they ignore the Articles of Succession that make it clear why they were leaving the union.

[IronLionZion]

67. Woke liberals trying to change the long standing tradition of using people as property

Conservatives are always trying to erase history.

Kind of weird to do this in new hampshire. It's not like south carolina

[johnnyfins]

73. Its not weird. This is who she is.

[IronLionZion]

75. She's pandering but I would think it's less popular in a northern state

[SouthernDem4ever]

70. Repugs are just assholes

I don't expect anything less from her.

[BadGimp]

77. Denial is not just a river in Egypt.

[twodogsbarking]

81. Ask her about The Alamo. Please.

Then WW1 and WW2

[IronLionZion]

88. I hope she says the Alamo was about illegal immigrant settlers crossing the border

[maineac]

85. It was tariffs

My physical therapist raised in VA was taught secession was caused by impending tariffs that would benefit the North but not the South. Since we all know the election of Lincoln threatened higher tariffs, not. I checked tariffs were an issue, but were in no way the instigation of the Civil War.

[D23MIURG23]

86. Proving once again that the "normal republican" is a mythical oxymoron.